A policeman asks people to leave the promenade at Marine drive, during restrictions to limit public gatherings amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Mumbai, India, January 3, 2022. (Reuters Photo) TAKING NOTE of complaints received against fake clean-up marshals, the BMC on Wednesday appealed to the people that before paying the fine, they should check if the person is wearing the correct uniform and if the name and the serial number of the concerned department/ward are printed on it.
The civic body on Wednesday also released a toll free number – 1800221916 – for people to raise complaints against the marshals.
Appointed for fining people moving around without masks and spitting at public places amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the BMC’s clean-up marshals have been at the centre of controversy for allegedly harassing people. Several videos of verbal and physical fights between clean-up marshals and people over wearing masks have gone viral.
As per the BMC rule, all clean-up marshals should be in uniform and show their identity cards to those they asking to pay a fine. The marshals are also supposed to give a receipt, which has the amount collected, serial number and name of the ward printed on it.
However, many pose as clean-up marshals without wearing uniforms and still fine people. The civic body charges a fine of Rs 200 each if a person is found spitting and without mask in public places.
Last year, amid the second wave of Covid-19, for stricter implementation of the face mask rule and to take action against those spitting in public places, BMC had doubled the number of clean-up marshals from 2,400 to 4,800.
The BMC and the Mumbai and Railway Police have collected Rs 84.22 crore in fines since April 2020 from people who were caught without masks. According to data, 34.22 lakh people were fined by clean-up marshals.
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